Mr Higgins’s attendance is the result of his personal friendship with France’s socialist defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Mr Higgins and Mr Le Drian struck up a friendship when they were mayors of Galway and Lorient respectively.

Lorient has been twinned with Galway since 1975.

The highlights of 10 events in which Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina will participate will be the Glanmore gala concert, dedicated to the memory of Seamus Heaney, tonight, and the parade of Celtic nations tomorrow.